Silicone bottle cap with removable glass insert

ABSTRACT

In one or more embodiments, a bottle cap apparatus includes a silicone cap body, a glass insert disposed in the silicone cap body, and a silicone gasket disposed on the glass insert.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/184,391 filed Jun. 25, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Most bottle caps use carbon-based plastics or metals for some or all of their components. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative health effects of some plastics and, in particular, the way certain beverages (e.g., herbal teas and vegetable juices) may adversely react to being stored in metal containers. Existing glass beverage bottles fail to adequately address this issue because they continue to rely on plastic components that present a contamination risk (e.g., caps, lids, straws, etc.). The likelihood of contamination increases when plastic parts are exposed to heat and ultraviolet light (e.g., via sun damage) or through the natural aging of the plastic. Furthermore, reusable beverage bottles are highly personal items and being able to keep them clean and sanitary is considered important by consumers. Plastic parts with intricate structures (e.g., existing bottle caps) fall short when it comes to the ability to be cleaned of beverage residue or mold (particularly with respect to from hard-to-reach areas and threaded walls). In addition to being difficult to clean, threaded plastic and metal caps require excessive twisting to create a good seal, which might not be convenient for users who are unable to exert enough strength (e.g., those with arthritis or other ailments causing limited dexterity or strength).

Thus, there is a need in the art to have a bottle cap that is plastic-free and non-metallic to provide consumers with an improved health-conscious and beverage-friendly alternative. Furthermore, it is also desirable to have a bottle cap that can be turned inside out for easy cleaning, as well as a bottle cap that can lock beverages in a glass environment by combining the flexibility of silicone with the purity of glass. There currently exists a need in the industry for a bottle closure solution that uses materials that are known to be safe, has the capability to be cleaned easily and thoroughly, and requires no excessive twisting to create a secure closure.

SUMMARY

In a claimed embodiment, a bottle cap apparatus includes a silicone cap body, a glass insert disposed in the silicone cap body, and a silicone gasket disposed on the glass insert.

In a claimed embodiment, a bottle cap apparatus includes a single molded silicone portion. The molded silicone portion includes a ridge around a circumference of a bottom inside part of the molded silicone portion. The molded silicone portion includes an inner channel adjacent to the ridge. The inner channel is adapted to receive an open end of a bottle.

In a claimed embodiment, a cap system for sealing a bottle includes a cap body adapted to mate with an opening of a bottle, a glass insert adapted to be mate with a cavity of the cap body, and a gasket adapted to mate with the glass insert and the cavity of the cap body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a silicone cap with removable glass insert according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a silicone cap with removable glass insert according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a silicone cap with removable glass insert according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a silicone cap with removable glass insert according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a silicone cap with removable glass insert according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a silicone and glass cap assembly according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bottle coupled to a silicone sleeve and a silicone and glass cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIGS. 8 is a side view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 13 is an perspective cross-sectional view of a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates a bottle coupled to a silicone sleeve and a silicone cap according to one or more embodiments.

FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate a silicone cap body of a silicone and glass cap assembly turned inside out according to one or more embodiments.

FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate a silicone cap turned inside out according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of a silicone and glass cap assembly according to one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of a non-plastic (e.g., plastic-free), non-metallic (e.g., metal-free) bottle cap are provided. The embodiments are described for illustrative (i.e., explanatory) purposes only and do not constitute, nor should they be construed as, exhaustive or otherwise limited to the precise forms shown and described. Rather, additional embodiments and variations are possible as persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize and appreciate in view of the following teaching. As used herein, the term “illustrative” means “presented for the purpose of illustrating non-limiting examples” and is not intended to convey that any described subject matter is optimal, preferred, or otherwise more or less beneficial than any other described subject matter. As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” mean “at least one” or “one or more” unless otherwise stated.

In one or more embodiments, the bottle cap may be formed solely of silicone or another suitable plastic-free and metal-free yet flexible or resilient material. In one or more embodiments, the bottle cap may be formed solely of glass combined with silicone or another suitable plastic-free and metal-free yet flexible or resilient material. The bottle cap is adapted to mate with or couple to a bottle. In one or more embodiments, the bottle cap may be adapted to mate with or couple tightly to the bottle (e.g., by snap-fitting to the bottle). In one or more embodiments, the bottle cap may be unthreaded to make the bottle cap easier to clean and keep sanitary. The cap may be used to assist in storing beverages, essential oils, or other liquids or fluids in a plastic-free, non-metallic, glass environment. Due to its elasticity, the cap may be turned inside out and/or disassembled quickly for easy cleaning. In one or more embodiments, all components of the bottle cap may be dishwasher-safe. As used herein, the term “bottle” refers to any bottle, container, flask, vial, vessel, receptacle, or bin adapted to hold contents (non-limiting examples of which may include a beverage bottle, an essential oil container, and a perfume vial). In one or more embodiments, the bottle cap provided herein permits a superior containment environment compared to glass containers featuring plastic or metal caps that certain essential oils (e.g., peppermint oil) and other liquids or fluids degrade over time.

FIGS. 1-5 are respective top, rear, side, front, and bottom views of a cap 100 (e.g., a silicone and glass cap 100) with a removable glass insert 20 according to one or more embodiments. Cap 100 is adapted to mate with or couple to a bottle. In one or more embodiments, cap 100 may be formed solely of glass combined with silicone or another suitable plastic-free and metal-free yet flexible or resilient material. Cap 100 of FIGS. 1-5 includes a cap body 10 (e.g., silicone cap body 10), a removable glass insert 20 and a removable gasket 30 (e.g., removable silicone gasket 30). In one or more embodiments, cap body 10 and/or removable gasket 30 may be formed solely of silicone or another suitable plastic-free and metal-free yet flexible or resilient material.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a silicone and glass cap assembly (or cap system for sealing a container) according to one or more embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 6, removable gasket 30 is disposed, located, or positioned on a stem 40 of removable glass insert 20. Gasket 30 is adapted to mate with removable glass insert 20 and an opening, void, or cavity in cap body 10. Stem 40 may be angled gradually such that it becomes wider towards the bottom to prevent gasket 20 from slipping. Removable glass insert 20 (with removable gasket 30 disposed, located, or positioned on stem 40) is adapted to couple or mate (e.g., snap-fit) to the opening, void, or cavity in cap body 10. Removable glass insert 20, along with gasket 30, is held in place by an inner rim 50 of cap body 10. Inner rim 50 is wedged into or placed in a channel 60 of glass insert 20. Gasket 30 may be disposed, located, or positioned on stem 40 of glass insert 20. Cap body 10 is adapted to mate with an opening of a bottle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bottle coupled to a silicone sleeve 120 and a silicone and glass cap 100 according to one or more embodiments. The bottle may be glass or any other non-plastic, non-metallic material. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, cap 100 may also include a handle 70 disposed between cap 100 and the bottle. Flexible silicone handle 70 allows a user to carry the bottle. When not in use, handle 70 regains its original, horizontal position, thereby stowing away when the user is drinking from the bottle. In some embodiments, handle 70 and cap 100 may be form a single, unitary component.

FIGS. 8-12 are respective top, rear, side, front, and bottom views of a silicone cap 200 according to one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, cap 200 may provide a lower cost alternative. Namely, cap 200 may be molded from a single piece of silicone or other suitable plastic-free and metal-free yet flexible or resilient material without featuring a glass insert. Cap 200 of FIGS. 8-12 includes ridge 80 (shown in FIG. 13) that couples or mates with (e.g., snap-fits to) a neck of a bottle to create a seal.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an exploded cross-sectional view of cap 200. A neck or open end of a bottle may engage with a channel (or void, gap, or open region) 90 of cap 200. In one or more embodiments, cap 200 may not include threads (e.g., may have a smooth, unthreaded surface), but rather may snap-fit onto an open end of a bottle. Cap 200 is flexible and adapted to be turned inside out, thereby increasing its ability to be washed. FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate silicone cap 200 being turned inside out. Ridge 80 of silicone cap 200 is disposed on or over an end of a bottle or a bottle neck. When channel 90 engages the end of the bottle, for example, the end of the bottle may set in and contact channel 90.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a bottle with silicone sleeve 120 and cap 200 according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 14 also includes handle 70 disposed between silicone cap 200 and the bottle. Flexible silicone handle 70 allows a user to carry a bottle. When not in use, handle 70 regains its original, horizontal position thereby stowing away when the user is drinking from the bottle. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 14, silicone sleeve 120 features an interlocking pattern of rounded squares for grip, impact protection, visibility of the contents of the bottle; and flexibility for easy removal and re-application.

Caps 100 and 200 (e.g., silicone caps) allow beverages to be stored in an environment free from plastics and metals while remaining durable and not overly fragile. Caps 100 and 200 are also easier to keep clean than conventional caps because of the flexible or resilient material (e.g., silicone) and removable glass components. Both cap body 10 and cap 200 are flexible and can be turned inside out, which allows access to hard-to-reach areas that are generally difficult or impossible to clean in the case of plastic alternatives.

FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate cap body 10 of cap 100 being turned inside out. FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate cap 200 being turned inside out. Caps 100 and 200 are structurally different than conventional caps. In one or more embodiments, caps 100 and 200 are, for instance, non-threaded and feature a glass insert or a fully silicone cap whereas existing re-usable glass beverage bottles typically employ threaded plastic or metal caps. Glass insert 20 is preferably transparent and permits the contents of a bottle to be viewed. When caps 100 and 200 are used with a glass bottle, caps 100 and 200 and the glass bottle provide a reusable, plastic-free, non-metallic, glass bottle that does not suffer from any of the problems or deficiencies associated with previously attempted solutions.

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of another illustrative cap 100 according to one or more embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 17, removable gasket 30 is disposed, located, or positioned on a stem 40 of removable glass insert 20. Stem 40 may be angled gradually such that it becomes wider towards the bottom to prevent gasket 20 from slipping. Removable glass insert 20 (with removable gasket 30 disposed, located, or positioned on stem 40) couples or mates (e.g., snap-fits) to an opening in cap body 10. Removable glass insert 20, along with gasket 30, is held in place by an inner rim 50 of cap body 10. Inner rim 50 is wedged into or placed in a channel 60 of glass insert 20. Gasket 30 may be disposed, located, or positioned on stem 40 of glass insert 20. Compared to gasket 30 illustrated in FIG. 6, illustrative gasket 30 of FIG. 17 may have one or more angled bottom edges to further facilitate the coupling or mating of gasket 30 with cap body 10 and/or with a bottle to which cap 100 is mated or coupled.

The foregoing detailed description of the technology herein has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the technology and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the technology in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the technology be defined by the claims and their equivalent elements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bottle cap apparatus, comprising: a cap body; a glass insert disposed in the cap body; and a gasket disposed on the glass insert.
 2. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is formed entirely of a plastic-free and metal-free material.
 3. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is formed at least partially of silicone.
 4. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is formed entirely of silicone.
 5. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gasket is formed entirely of a plastic-free and metal-free material.
 6. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gasket is formed at least partially of silicone.
 7. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gasket is formed entirely of silicone.
 8. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the glass insert is removable.
 9. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gasket is removable.
 10. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is flexible and adapted to be turned inside out.
 11. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is resilient and non-threaded.
 12. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body is adapted to coupled to a bottle.
 13. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap body comprises an inner rim to which a channel of the glass insert mates.
 14. A bottle cap apparatus, comprising: a single molded silicone portion, wherein the molded silicone includes a ridge around a bottom inside portion of the molded silicone portion, wherein the molded silicone portion is flexible and includes an inner channel adjacent to the ridge, the inner channel being adapted to receive an open end of a bottle.
 15. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 14, wherein the molded silicone portion is adapted to be turned inside out.
 16. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 14, wherein the single molded silicone portion is resilient and non-threaded.
 17. The bottle cap apparatus of claim 14, wherein the single molded silicone portion is adapted to be coupled to a bottle.
 18. A cap system for sealing a container, the system comprising: a cap body adapted to mate with an opening of a container; a glass insert adapted to be mate with a cavity of the cap body; and a gasket adapted to mate with the glass insert and the cavity of the cap body.
 19. The cap system of claim 18, wherein the cap body is formed entirely of a plastic-free and metal-free material.
 20. The cap system of claim 19, wherein the cap body is formed entirely of silicone. 